Honor, Support, and Serve Our Veterans

 Unofficial Angry Letter Therapy offers veterans a unique approach to processing and releasing pent-up anger and trauma. Through two distinct methods, participants express their trauma onto canvases, either through writing or sketches, before transforming the artwork into symbols of hope and healing through collaborative painting sessions. In one method, veterans cover their written trauma with scenes of serenity, while in another, they paint over sketched trauma before bidding it farewell and setting the canvas ablaze. These exercises provide veterans with tangible ways to externalize and confront their emotions, fostering healing and closure. 

This program offers veterans a transformative outlet to confront and process their trauma through the medium of art. Drawing from principles of psychology, this innovative approach combines expressive writing with painting therapy to facilitate healing and emotional release.

In the initial phase, veterans are encouraged to confront their trauma head-on by expressing it boldly and explicitly on their personal canvas. Whether through poetry, prose, or direct narration, veterans have the freedom to articulate their experiences and emotions without reservation. This cathartic act serves as a crucial step towards externalizing and confronting the internalized trauma, effectively transferring it from the confines of the mind onto the canvas.

Following this initial expression of trauma, veterans participate in a guided painting class within a supportive group setting. Under the guidance of experienced art therapists, veterans paint over their trauma letter with scenes of natural beauty such as waterfalls, sunsets, or sunrises. These serene and tranquil landscapes symbolize the journey towards healing and transformation, with the turbulent past receding into the background as a new dawn emerges.

The integration of expressive writing and painting therapy offers veterans a multi-dimensional approach to processing trauma and promoting psychological well-being. By engaging both verbal and visual modalities, veterans are able to access different facets of their trauma and explore avenues for resolution and closure. Moreover, the group setting fosters a sense of community and solidarity, allowing veterans to share their experiences, offer support, and witness each other's progress on the path to healing.

Backed by psychological research on the therapeutic benefits of expressive writing and art therapy, "The Trauma on Canvas" program provides veterans with a powerful tool for reclaiming agency over their narratives and forging a path towards resilience and recovery. Through creative expression and communal support, veterans are empowered to transcend their trauma and embrace a brighter, more hopeful future."The Trauma on Canvas" program offers veterans a transformative outlet to confront and process their trauma through the medium of art. Drawing from principles of psychology, this innovative approach combines expressive writing with painting therapy to facilitate healing and emotional release.

In the initial phase, veterans are encouraged to confront their trauma head-on by expressing it boldly and explicitly on their personal canvas. Whether through poetry, prose, or direct narration, veterans have the freedom to articulate their experiences and emotions without reservation. This cathartic act serves as a crucial step towards externalizing and confronting the internalized trauma, effectively transferring it from the confines of the mind onto the canvas.

Following this initial expression of trauma, veterans participate in a guided painting class within a supportive group setting. Under the guidance of experienced art therapists, veterans paint over their trauma letter with scenes of natural beauty such as waterfalls, sunsets, or sunrises. These serene and tranquil landscapes symbolize the journey towards healing and transformation, with the turbulent past receding into the background as a new dawn emerges.

The integration of expressive writing and painting therapy offers veterans a multi-dimensional approach to processing trauma and promoting psychological well-being. By engaging both verbal and visual modalities, veterans are able to access different facets of their trauma and explore avenues for resolution and closure. Moreover, the group setting fosters a sense of community and solidarity, allowing veterans to share their experiences, offer support, and witness each other's progress on the path to healing.

Backed by psychological research on the therapeutic benefits of expressive writing and art therapy, "The Trauma on Canvas" program provides veterans with a powerful tool for reclaiming agency over their narratives and forging a path towards resilience and recovery. Through creative expression and communal support, veterans are empowered to transcend their trauma and embrace a brighter, more hopeful future.

*** The Trauma on Canvas: This where you write down your trauma in a poem, story or outright on your own personal canvas. Make it bold, explicit as you want, the intent is to get it on the canvas and out of your head. Then in a group we teach a painting class to paint over that trauma letter on your canvas with a scene of a waterfall, sunset sunrise, etc. This is to represent that trauma to be behind you.

· TimeLine:

This program is 3-hour class scheduled monthly traditionally done on a Tuesday at the first of the month and is made to be a one time class however in some case can be done multiple times.

o The first 45 minutes of the class is designed to come up and write the letter of trauma on the canvas. 

o The next 10-minute step is to cover the canvas with a coat of white paint and allowing to start to dry

o For the next 2 hours we continue with a group painting class of a waterfall, northern lights or whatever is agreed upon.

Assessment:

How do we know it works?

Part 1: We encourage all participants to try our Expressive Tool Kit program. Participation in this program is a positive indicator, which we monitor with consistent follow-up.

Part 2: We communicate with their therapist, gathering any releasable information to evaluate success. Feedback from therapists is used to enhance the program. For those without a therapist, we provide a 10-question assessment survey to ensure the program's quality and gather personal feedback.

This program offers veterans a unique and profound opportunity to confront and transcend their trauma through a symbolic ritual of transformation. Grounded in principles of psychology, this innovative approach combines collaborative art creation with a cathartic release ceremony to facilitate healing and closure.

In the initial phase, veterans work alongside therapists and artists to sketch out the image of their trauma letter on the canvas, resembling a paint-by-numbers outline. This collaborative process allows veterans to externalize their trauma and co-create a visual representation of their experiences. By actively participating in the creation of the image, veterans begin to take ownership of their narrative and engage in the therapeutic process.

During the subsequent class, veterans are invited to paint over the sketched image, infusing it with their own colors, textures, and emotions. This act of creative expression not only allows veterans to engage with their trauma in a tangible way but also empowers them to reclaim agency over their experiences. As they apply paint to canvas, veterans invest themselves emotionally and psychologically in the artwork, forging a deeper connection to the healing process.

Once the painting is complete, veterans are given a moment to reflect and say their final goodbyes to the canvas. In a poignant ceremony, the canvas is then ceremoniously set on fire, transforming the visual representation of trauma into ash. This symbolic act of destruction signifies the release and transcendence of the trauma, allowing veterans to symbolically let go of the pain and suffering associated with their experiences.

Drawing from research on the therapeutic benefits of art-based interventions and ritualistic healing practices, "The Trauma on Fire" program offers veterans a powerful tool for processing and integrating their traumatic experiences. Through collaborative creation, creative expression, and symbolic release, veterans are guided on a journey of transformation, culminating in a profound sense of closure and renewal.

· Timeline: This is a small 2-part class with at most 5 Veterans completed traditional in a 1 day for artist or a continuous 2 part structure for non-artist, divided by the first 1 day for prep and the 2nd part culminating into the release.

o Non-artistic: 1st class

§ Day/Part 1: Each of the 5 Veterans in the class has an Art Therapist associated to work with them to dive into the trauma and create an image associated with said trauma then to sketch on the canvas like a paint by numbers for the Veteran.

§ Day/Part 2: Later that day or rescheduled we have all 5 Veterans take up to 3 hours to paint what they see on their canvas as release.

§ Last 15 minutes: Once the paintings are complete, everyone at least 5ft apart from one another in a circle, they take one last look at the image and set in on the ground as a final release and light it on fire

o Artist Class: (traditionally ones that have at least the basic understanding of art and shading. )

§ 1sthour (1st Part): These classes are held by an Art Therapist leading the class into understanding of their trauma story and transferring it into a sketch on 9x12 canvas. 

§ 2 hours (2nd Part): As we are not looking for perfection. This is for our Veterans to take in the motion to “fill in the ‘dark’ spots of their trauma.”

§ Last 15 minutes: Once the paintings are complete, everyone at least 5ft apart from one another in a circle, they take one last look at the image and set in on the ground as a final release and light it on fire!

Each therapy is a 3 hour session with associated therapist with follow-up 4 weeks later typically over the phone however we will establish in person contact if defined during the initial evaluation.

Assessment:

How do we know it works?

Part 1: We encourage all participants to try our Expressive Tool Kit program. Participation in this program is a positive indicator, which we monitor with consistent follow-up.

Part 2: We communicate with their therapist, gathering any releasable information to evaluate success. Feedback from therapists is used to enhance the program. For those without a therapist, we provide a 10-question assessment survey to ensure the program's quality and gather personal feedback.